Mangalore, Apr 15: No celebration is a blind belief. It is the matter of belief on nature and traditions. It is the faith of our ancestors, which holds so much meaning in itself even today," said folk researcher Dr Ganesh Amin Sankamar.

Addressing the 'Bisu Parba' celebrations organised by Tulu Koota at Ravindra Kala Mandir Mangalore on Monday, Dr Sankamar said that the Bisu celebration holds great significance and various sources point at various reasons for celebration of Bisu.

While some sources say that Bisu mainly signifies the birth of Sri Rama, others say it is the day when Rama had got Sitha back to Ayodhya freeing her from the clutches of Ravana and many more say it is the beginning of 'Kali Yuga' and hence it is called 'Ugadi'.

Dr Sankamar said that no matter what the story behind celebration of Bisu may be, it is the celebration to build human relations and values.

On the day of Bisu, a 'bisu kani' is arranged which contains vegetables and fruits and other agricultural produce placed around the mirror. The Bisu kani, as Dr Sankamar pointed was traditionally arranged at Guthu houses, which signified hope for a better future "The traditional landlords saw future in their present produce and prayed for better yield next year," he added and said that though the system of landlords and tenants is no more existing, the tradition of Bisu is still practiced with a change.

Dr Sankamar said that unfortunately with the passing of time, the people have become so mechanical that they fail to do their work when there is a power cut or a strike, forgetting the fact that the ancestors at one point of time used to successfully grow their daily requirement of food on their courtyards.

Dharmasthala Rathnaverma Heggade Award was conferred on H Shakunthala Bhat, Puttige Padmanabha Rai and Purushotham K R. Prathibha Puraskar was conferred on Bhagyashree Herge (SSLC) and Sowmya S (PUC).

Akashwani Programme Co-ordinator Vasanth Kumar Perla, Deputy Mayor Shakila Kava, Kannada Sahithya Parishath former state president Harikrishna Punaroor and others were present.

DHNS